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Just a reminder....if you are reading any of my older posts and you click on a link for a cutting file that is no longer valid..PLEASE REMEMBER you can go to the top of my blog page and click on the "My Cutting Files" Tab and it will take you to my dropbox account where you can do a search for that file name and download the file directly from there.

Thank you so much!!

Penny Duncan

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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

SO Ready for Spring.....and a Shout Out....

Hello there Everyone!!! I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week!!! I know one thing for sure....it's COOOOLLLLLDDDDD outside!!!! I'm SO ready for Spring.....it just can't get here soon enough.......

Well if you can believe it I have actually been a bit creative over the last couple of weeks....not creating a much as I would like BUT....at least I'm creating......that's an improvement right!!!? That's what I keep telling myself anyway!!!

Several months back my youngest son's best friend and his fiance asked me if I would make their wedding invitations for them.....first off I was honored they thought of me......but wanted to make something they would like.....so I drew up a file and they really seemed to like it......I had special ordered some papers to make mock ups for them.....just needed to order new papers to get them all done......they waited way too long to give me the definate go and then needed them within like 2 weeks...ACKKKKK talk about panic!!! So I was "trying" to do a rush to get them done.....Of course you know that spells disaster right!!!! I thought I would be "smart".....NOT... and do the steps in mass as in hoping to save time.......that was my FIRST mistake......so I had printed ALL the things off I needed with registration marks....and then was going to go back and cut them out....then I could do the foiling of them......WELL......as you know would happen....the software did updates...which is fine....but somehow in between the time I printed the things I needed to the time I went back to perform the print and cut techniques the sizing of the items got changed and it screwed up the entire registration alignment of the designs....I was BESIDE myself sick!!!!

Knowing there was no way the original design was going to get done in the time frame they needed I had to make a tough decision to scrap the original design and work up something new...and more simple.......I ran it across my youngest son and asked his thoughts and he just knew they would understand....and they did.....so off I went to buy MORE paper...but had to suffice with paper I found at local stores....didn't have time to reorder papers.....and then came home to think.......I came up with an idea and just felt it was right.........Didn't let the bride to be see I just went with it and then had my son take them over to them that evening....as I worked 24 hours straight to get 125 invitations completed from start to finish....wanna see what I came up with?????

And I'm so HAPPY to say that the bride to be texted me to let me know she absolutely LOVED these and actually loves these more then the one I had originally designed.....so obviously the Lord had a hand in all of this!!! ;) I'm just SO happy to have them D.O.N.E!!! LOL

After recouperating for a couple of days from that mass creating job I've actually started to get with it a bit more....LOL I was able to treat myself to a Valentine's Shopping spree for my gift from hubby...that was fun!!!

Over the past several months I had been purchasing the different sizes of Gelli Plates......"thinking" I wanted to start using them.......I accumulated 4 different sizes.....the 3"x5", 5"x7", 6"x6" and the 8"x10" .......thought that gave me a nice array of sizes......

So.....I took the 3"x5" Gelli Plate and played with it some yesterday.....(I was home all day due to a winter storm that graced us with 8" of snow.....) YUCK!! Anyway......I played a bit and created 2 decent decorative papers.....

Here's a close up of how they turned out.....

So I decided the first one was "OK" and I created the following card with it.....

The card is kinda cute......BUT....I realized something doing all this....I DO NOT LIKE MESSY....LOL I've come to the realization that Gelli Plates are NOT something I enjoy.......you would THINK I would have thought about that BEFORE I purchased all 4 sizes right!!!? LOL...But OH NO....not ME...that would be too logical!!! ROFL.....SO...I've decided that I'm going to sell these......

There are 4 sizes...... 3"x5", 5"x7", 6"x6" and the 8"x10"....If anyone is interested in them....I'm willing to sale all 4 for what I think is a very reasonable price..... $65.00 which includes shipping in the US. I have paypal and if anyone is interested in them I can invoice you through Paypal and then would ship them out to you the next day.......they are in pristine shape.......I just think they need to find a home with someone who would enjoy them....... IF you are interested please drop me an email at pennyduncan@att.net ..... UPDATE: These have found a new home and are no longer available!!

So...after I finished that card I was wanting to do something a little different that wasn't "messy".... ;) So I took some washi tape that I've been hoarding for years and played with it some.......did strips on a piece of white cardstock......then ran through my Ebosser with an embossing sleeve and then colored with sprays and distress inks....I really like how this one turned out....wanna see????

I used my Silver Bullet Professional Cutter to cutout the shape from one of my Shaplies to then stamp the phrase onto......then colored it as well with my distress inks.....Used some grunge ribbon colored again with distress stain....added a brad and called it done!!! I think it turned out pretty.....how about you???

Then I actually created a couple of cut files.....felt good to play in Inkscape too.....thought I would share them with you here in case anyone might be interested in them.....

So......I hope you've made it this far.....I would just like to share one more thing with you....for those of you who have cutting machines.......We all know there are basically 2 software programs on the market today for creating and cutting with our machines.....MTC (Make The Cut) and SCAL (Sure Cuts Alot).......I own both...and have used both....but have always favored SCAL......because I have alot of admiration for the creator and his integrity......WELL.......I just have to ask....have you checked out ALL OF THE AMAZING UPDATES Brandon has done with SCAL???? OMG...If you haven't...then you REALLY REALLY need to!!!!! You would be SO impressed!!!!

Brandon has added so many nice features.....you can do absolutely spot on Print & Cut with ease.....calibration of your machine to the software is so easy and smooth.....just wonderful.....He has added so many features to the nodes editing....Believe it or not..you can actually create a file from scratch within SCAL now...to do engraving or drawing.......manipulate the nodes.....He's added a Knockout feature......a Fill feature........and it goes on and on......IF you haven't checked out this amazing program lately...You REALLY need to....

YES...there's a fee to upgrade to SCAL4.....and he's offered a Regular version and a Pro Version......the Pro version even allows you to cut by color and have virtually unlimited cutting length....and a weeding feature.....Ok...back to the fee.....He does offer a discount for those who already own a version of SCAL and are looking to upgrade...and YES you would be able to keep the old version on your computer and the new version........AND you're able to export your files as SVG format so those who still own the original SCAL software that worked with the Cricut years ago you can utilize the new program and then be able to import the SVG file you created in the newer version into your version that cuts with your Cricut and cut your file.....Keeping in mind...you must already own that version of the software that you purchased before the lawsuit....but even the fee he charges for the upgrade...its' well worth the money.....and it enables him to continue to add wonderful features for us to use!!!!

Ok.....THANKS for making it this far....I just felt I really really wanted to give Brandon a plug for his software.....SCAL4 is an amazing program that continues to raise the roof on software for our cutting machines!!!!

I want to Thank you for taking some of your day to spend with me.....I hope you've found something fun or helpful here......and I wish you all a very blessed day.....Please come by again and visit...until then.....